Direction-indicator switch



Nov. 25, 1924 1,517,013

R. E. LUNDAY DIRECTION INDICATOR SWITCH Filed Aug. 18. 1919 Russel l ELJJ ndag.

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PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSELL E. LUNDAY, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

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Application filed August 18, 1919. Serial No. 318,286;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Russnnn E. LUNDAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silver Bow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction- Indicator Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in direction indicator switches.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved switch structure for the control of an electrically operated vehicle indicator of the type set forth in my. copending application 7 rial Number 438,895, filed June 14, 1920. i

A further and important object of the invention is the provision of an electromagnetic switchadapted for novel control of electrically operated vehicle indicators.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

-In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation pf a vehicle indicating circuit, showing the manner in which the improved switch is used forcontrol.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken through the structure of the improved switch.

In the drawing, and especially referring to Figure 1, two pairs of solenoids36 and 37 are provided, each pair being adapted to operate certain indicator mechanism set forth in my copending application above referred to. The solenoid 36 of one of these pairs of solenoids is connected to the solenoid 37 of the other pair of solenoids by meansof a conducting wire 80, and the remaining solenoids 36 and 37 are connected by means of a conducting wire 83. One pair of solenoids36 and 37 are directly conuected together in circuit with a battery 79, which ma be grounded, substantially as is illustrate in Figure 1 of the drawings. Lines 81 and 84 lead from the solenoids 36 and 37 of the other 'pair of solenoids remote from the battery 79, and these wires 81 and 84 have connection with the electromagnets 40 and 41 respectively of the improved electromagnetically operated switch mechanism 3'8.

The switch structure 38 includes a suitable housing 39, in which the electromagnets 40 and 41 are placed. These magnets 40 and41 are connected in circuit with the solenoids as above mentioned, and as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The cores 42 and 43 of the electromagnets 40 and 41 respectively have their upper ends reduced and screw threaded, as at 44, for receiving insulation buttons 45 and 46 respectively. The buttons 45 and 46, at their lower portions are inserted in suitable openings in plates 47 and 48 respectively, and these plates are clamped by means of the buttons upon suitable washers 49 of insulation material to suitably insulate the plates 47 and 48 from the sliding cores upon which the are supported.

prings 50 of the spiral compression type are disposed in the bores or passageways of the ma ets 40 and 41, and normally urge the sli ing cores 42 and 43 upwardly to hold the circuit closing plates 47 and 48 out of engagement with contacts provided with the electromagnets. 7

An insulation plate 58 is connected to the top of the electromagnets'40 and 41, and a pair of contacts 51 and 52 are provided for the electromagnet 40, carried by this insulation plate 58, for cooperation with the bridging plate 47 disposed thereabove. In like manner a pair of contacts 53 and 54 are supported by the plate 58 in cooperating relation below the bridging plate 48 of the electromagnet 41. The contacts 51 and 54 of the electromagnets are supported by means of suitable binding screws at the ends of the plate 58; said binding screws being preferab y in conducting relation with the coils of the magnet 40 and 41 respectively. The other contacts 52 and 53, which respectively cooperate with the contacts 51 and 54 are supported upon the plates 58 by suitable binding screws which are insulated from thecoils of the magnets 40 and 41, except when the switch plate 47 bridges the contact 51 and 52, or the switch plate 58 bridges the contact 53 and 54. A suitable control switch is preferably provided for cooperative regulation of the individual switches of the electromagnets 40 and 41.

This switch preferabl includes contact 56 and 57, supported in epending relation below the plate 58, and between the electromagnets 40 and 41. These contacts 56 and 57 are preferably connected by binding screws to suitable conducting extensions formed on the contacts 52 and 53. The contact 56 is in conducting relation with the contact 52, while the contact '57: is in conducting relation with the contact 53. The contacts 56 and 57 are resilient and at their lower ends are normally urged into engagement" with the free end of a contact 58', which is supported in a grounded relation with a casing 39 of the switch structure. This casing 39 may be in a conducting relation with a trip switch structure '60, by means of a wire 59 and a wire 76, substantially as is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1. The trip switch structure 60, it may be mentioned, includes a contact 71 and the portion over which the contact 71 may be grounded,

A push button 61 is preferably carried by the housing 79, and has a stem 6% of insulation material, depending between the contacts 56 and 57. A compression spring 63 normally urges the button 61 against the top of the housing 39, and holds the stem 62 out of engagin relation with the contacts 56 and 57.

and to open the individual switches of these magnets, the button 61 is manually depressed until the stem 62 engages the contacts 56 and 57, separating them and holding them out of engagement with the grounded contact 58, and thus breaking the circuit structure and rendering the solenoids inoperative.

In operation, when it is desired to signal in one direction, sa to the left, the button 45 will be depresse which moves the plate 47 into engagement with the contacts 51 and 52, where it is held by magnetic attraction of the magnet 40, and this closes a circuit throu h the battery 79, through a solenoid 36 o the right hand signal structure, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1, and by way of the conductor 80 to the solenoid 37 of the left hand signal structure, and then through the conductor 81 and magnet 40 to plate 47, contacts 56 and 58, through the conductors 59 and 76, through the trip switch structure into the ground. When it is desired to operate the opposite set of indicators, the button for the switch is depressed, bringing the plate 48 into engagement with the contacts 53 and 54, for closing the circuit through the batte 79, through the solenoid 37 of the right land signal ing structure, across the conductor 83 to the solenoid 36 of the left hand signalling structure, and then through the conducting wire 84 to the magnet 41, across the bridged en it is desired to break a circuit in either of the magnets 40 or 41,

contacts 53 and 54: and through the contacts 57 and 58' to the trip switch structure 60 and the ground.

It is contemplated that the operation of the trip switch structure 61 be automatic, and operated in any manner by parts of the vehicle, such as the steering gear. This is optional, however, and the button 61 upon depression will spread the contacts 56 and 57 out of engagement with the contact 58, and break the circuit in the switch structure, and thus allowing any signalling mechanism operated by the solenoids to be returned to normal non-exhibiting position.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described, without departin from the spirit of the same or "the scope o the claims.

I claim:

1. In a switch structure the combination of a pair of electromagnets including coils, cores slidable through said coils, a pair of contacts for each electromagnet having one contact connected to its respective coil, and the other contact insulated from its coil, a switch bladefor each pair of contacts adapted to be used for bridging said contacts, means normally retaining the switch blades open with respect to their contacts, and a control switch in normally closed relation including a pair of contacts, one of which control switch contacts is connected to the coil insulated contact of one of the electromagnets. and the other contact of which control switch is connected to the coil insulated contact of the other electromagnet.

2. In a switch structure of the class described the combination of a metal housing, a pair of electromagnets supported within the housing, each of said magnets including a coil insulated with respect to the housing, a core slidable in each electromagnet coil, a pair of contacts for each electromagnet having one of said contacts grounded to its magnet coil and the other contact insulated from the coil, a switch blade carried by each core, spring means urging the cores outwardly of their electromagnets to normally position the switch blades out of engagement with their cooperating contacts, a pair of contacts resiliently supported in a grounded relation with said housing, means connecting one of said last mentioned contacts with the coil insulated contact of one of the electromagnets, means connecting the other of said casing grounded contacts with the coil insulated contact of the other magnet, and means for simultaneously moving the housing grounded contacts out of grounded relation with said housing for the purpose of breaking the circuit through the switches of said electromagnets.

RUSSELL E. LUNDAY. 

